If Ours\'s 2000 disc, Distorted Lullabies, was notable for singer-songwriter Jimmy Gnecco\'s vocal similarity to Jeff Buckley and his fluent command of tortured pop-rock (hardly groundbreaking traits, but serviceable), then Precious makes the case for Gnecco as genuine-article artist. There\'s a truckload of emotion here and while Gnecco is more screamer than crooner, his viewpoints linger long after the final chords. Opening with the spiky--and cheeky--\"Kill the Band,\" Precious segues into \"Realize,\" a straight rock tune with a pealing guitar lead that solders the chorus to the bridge. Paler shades are explored later in the disc; \"Broken\" begins as a dirge before erupting into a musical firestorm with Gnecco\'s howls at the vortex. \"If Flowers Turn\" is wistful pop abetted by tambourine and do-do-do vocals, while \"Red Colored Stars\" trades muscular electric guitar for acoustic and octave-defying vocals. --Kim Hughes